Gut microbiota-derived short-chain fatty acids and their role in human health and disease

Indrani Mukhopadhya; Petra Louis

doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01183-w

Gut microbiota-derived short-chain fatty acids and their role in human health and disease

Indrani Mukhopadhya, Petra Louis^* (Corresponding Author)

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

17 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are a group of organic compounds produced by fermentation of dietary fibre by the human gut microbiota. They play diverse roles in different physiological processes of the host with implications for human health and disease. This review provides an overview of the complex microbial metabolism underlying SCFA formation, considering microbial interactions and modulating factors of the gut environment. The multifaceted mechanistic interactions between SCFAs and the host will then be explored, with a particular focus on local actions of SCFAs in the gut and their complex interactions with the immune system. How these actions influence intestinal and extraintestinal diseases and emerging therapeutic strategies employing SCFAs will also be discussed.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	635-651
Number of pages	17
Journal	Nature Reviews Microbiology
Volume	23
Early online date	13 May 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-025-01183-w
Publication status	Published - 12 Sept 2025

Funding

PL received funding from the Scottish Government Rural and Environment Service and Analytical Services Division (RESAS)

Funders	Funder number
Scottish Government

Keywords

Gastrointestinal Diseases
Microbiome

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1038/s41579-025-01183-wLicence: Unspecified

Mukhopadhya_etLouis_NMIR_Gut_Microbiota_AAM
This manuscript has been made open access under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence under the terms of the University of Aberdeen Research Publications Policy. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Accepted author manuscript, 1.23 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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abstract = "Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are a group of organic compounds produced by fermentation of dietary fibre by the human gut microbiota. They play diverse roles in different physiological processes of the host with implications for human health and disease. This review provides an overview of the complex microbial metabolism underlying SCFA formation, considering microbial interactions and modulating factors of the gut environment. The multifaceted mechanistic interactions between SCFAs and the host will then be explored, with a particular focus on local actions of SCFAs in the gut and their complex interactions with the immune system. How these actions influence intestinal and extraintestinal diseases and emerging therapeutic strategies employing SCFAs will also be discussed.",

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AU - Mukhopadhya, Indrani

AU - Louis, Petra

PY - 2025/9/12

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N2 - Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are a group of organic compounds produced by fermentation of dietary fibre by the human gut microbiota. They play diverse roles in different physiological processes of the host with implications for human health and disease. This review provides an overview of the complex microbial metabolism underlying SCFA formation, considering microbial interactions and modulating factors of the gut environment. The multifaceted mechanistic interactions between SCFAs and the host will then be explored, with a particular focus on local actions of SCFAs in the gut and their complex interactions with the immune system. How these actions influence intestinal and extraintestinal diseases and emerging therapeutic strategies employing SCFAs will also be discussed.

AB - Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are a group of organic compounds produced by fermentation of dietary fibre by the human gut microbiota. They play diverse roles in different physiological processes of the host with implications for human health and disease. This review provides an overview of the complex microbial metabolism underlying SCFA formation, considering microbial interactions and modulating factors of the gut environment. The multifaceted mechanistic interactions between SCFAs and the host will then be explored, with a particular focus on local actions of SCFAs in the gut and their complex interactions with the immune system. How these actions influence intestinal and extraintestinal diseases and emerging therapeutic strategies employing SCFAs will also be discussed.

KW - Gastrointestinal Diseases

KW - Microbiome

U2 - 10.1038/s41579-025-01183-w

DO - 10.1038/s41579-025-01183-w

M3 - Review article

SN - 1740-1526

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SP - 635

EP - 651

JO - Nature Reviews Microbiology

JF - Nature Reviews Microbiology

ER -

Gut microbiota-derived short-chain fatty acids and their role in human health and disease

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

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Cite this